Speed Limits in Front of School
Authored by: Gail Perry, China Middle School
divider line - brown/gray, with break in the line
Grade Level: 5-8

The MLR performance indicators listed below are for illustrative purposes. Depending on the focus of the lessons as developed by individual teachers, these indicators may or may not be addressed. Conversely this is not a definitive listing of all of the performance indicators which could be addressed in this lesson.

MLR - Middle Grades: Social Studies: (Civics A - 1, 2); Language Arts: (Stylistic/ Rhetorical G - 10), (Research H - 3,4,5,6,7,8,10); Mathematics: (Number sense A -   4), (Computation B - 2), (Statistics C - 1, 2, 3), (Patterns G - 1, 3), (Reasoning J - 1, 2), (Communication K - 1)

Task Description

Measure 5280 feet and calculate a workable distance to use to measure time of travel from A to B. Work in groups of 3 - one at A(start) one at B(end) and watch when front of car passes A & when front passes B:

1. Tabulate times [Distances are constant]
2. Calculate speeds [Sample - average]
3. Publish finding
4. Identify who sets speed limits
5. Identify problems and develop solutions
5. Write up solutions in the form of a petition(s)
6. Contact municipal officials to request some action.

Student Products/Performances

1. Use rate x time=distance formula to calculate speed of vehicles. Average the data.
2. Set up measured distance.
3. Conduct time trials.
4. Prepare petition or statement of problem and resolution for municipal officials.

Resources

stopwatches; calculators; measuring device;
MMA resources:
   Sample Petition for Classroom Use
Speed limits in school zones: 29-A § 2074 1.A.,
Articles from the Sun Journal:
        Jay schools,
        Police involvement in Jay schools speed limit
Who sets speed limits. 29-A § 2073
Traffic Signal, Flashers, and Speed Limits an excerpt from Public Works, January 1990
Want to change a speed limit on one of your town roads? an article from Maine Local Roads News

Criteria for Evaluating Quality of Product or Performance

Accuracy of the calculations; quality of the request to the town officials and presentation of supporting data.